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Rise and shine, its pouring rain! After a fairly decent evening of sleep, we were up and enjoying a warm cup of tea and a bowl of oatmeal before our planned 16km hike towards Black Rock Lake and the second Meteo shelter. Even though it was raining, we both agreed we were in this for the adventure and the rain was part of that adventure. Thankfully, we had prepacked all our clothes and things into plastic bags, plus the rain covers on our packs. We were good to go walking in the rain. So, we thought.

Adversity is the one defining word I am able to describe my experience on this 3-day trek. The trail is hard, steep, and at times offering an extraordinary feeling of being on top of the world.

Location – The short version.

Lagodekhi National Park is located on the southern slopes of the Caucasus mountains, boarding Azerbaijan and Dagestan, at the north-eastern edge of the Kakheti region. The park offers a huge area of nearly 25,000 hectares of protected sub-tropical forest filled with indigenous flowers, fauna, and a handful of wild animals. There are 4 trails offered for those who are interested in exploring the park: Grouse Waterfall (9km), Ninoskhevi Waterfall (8km), 11th-century Machi Castle (3km from main road), and the Black Rock Lake Circuit (48km).

Falling in love is one of the most wonderful feelings on the planet. It most often happens when you least expect it. So, you’ve just set off on your #familyadventurevacation to a place of wonder, and the last thing on your mind is falling in love. Then bam, out of nowhere, you fall in love, steals your heart and your return home lovesick.

As we have always said, there is no completely safe journey. However, by properly setting your exciting family adventure up to be as stress free as possible, will help in case of any misfortune experiences. Keep in mind, some destinations and activities carry a higher risk than others when planning your travel insurance plan.

If you are planning the ultimate adventure in some remote location on the globe, naturally it is not the same to get yourself or family member to a hospital there as it would be in a more developed location. Reduce the additional “adventure” and pick a plan which includes more extreme measures for these potential higher risks. These plans may include helicopter transport, relocation to another country with more appropriate care, etc. Typically these plans will cover from 10k-50k and will have an additional cost compared to the FREE plan, which only allows up to a couple hundred bucks for care. The flip side is your holiday turns into a multi zero expense and no alternatives around the additional costs. At the end of the day, it is your families health and safety… only the best is best.

First Aid Kit to travel

The first aid kit for a hiker or climber is normal to have in the backpack. For a traveler, it is equally important, yet often overlooked. Everyone should carry a first aid kit, varying in size and content, depending on travel destination and duration. Since having children, naturally our “health kit” has adjusted the needs of not only ourselves, but our children.

Previous analysis

Before any trip, you must check: what is the availability of medicine in the country or countries. What possible diseases can be contracted? Are there any obvious possible injuries that may occur due to the activities to be performed (e.g. hiking).

It is not the same when one is traveling in Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Georgia or France. If traveling within the European Union or North America countries, drugs are easily accessible. As well as doctors and hospitals. Furthermore, in certain countries of Africa, it may be required to petition a doctor by helicopter or a long distant drive of up to 200km for appropriate medical treatment.

BASIC TRAVEL KIT

If you are planning a trip to the USA, European Union countries, and/or a main city-like village not too far from civilization, your minimum First Aid should include:

Paracetamol

Children Paracetamol

Ibuprofen

Cotton

Scissors

Bandaids

Antiseptic

Scissors (may be taken at airport control if not checked in)

Tweezers

Saline eye drops

Digital thermometer

ADVANCES TRAVEL KIT

If you are planning to travel in a country with more risk and less health care, additionally include:

Disposable latex-free gloves

Adhesive bandages, multiple sizes

Gauze

Adhesive tape

Elastic bandage wrap

1% hydro-cortisone cream

Anti fungal and antibacterial cream

Insect repellent (if the country has mosquitoes)

Water purification tablets (you never know when you will need them)

Antihistamine tablets

Tablets for light diarrhea

Antibiotics for severe diarrhea or other sever infection

Serum oral re-hydration (in case of diarrhea)

Antimalarial medications (in case you need it)

Having a good First Aid kit can be the bombshell or deal breaker of your adventurous family vacation. Whether you choose to bring the minimum or the maximum health care products for both you and and you children, be sure to maintain good rest, hydrated, and up to date products (frequently check and replace goods as necessary). What other products has your family found useful or an absolute life saver when traveling with your kids.